The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its ruling on former President John Mahama’s application to reopen his case in the matter of the December 2020 Presidential election petition.
The court yesterday heard arguments on the application by lawyers for all the parties with the Electoral Commission and President Akufo-Addo’s lawyers forcefully opposed to the application.
The National Democratic Congress flagbearer and petitioner in the case, John Mahama, sought to convince the Supreme Court panel to allow him to re-open his case.
But lawyers for the Electoral Commission (EC) and President Akufo-Addo raised several counter-arguments explaining why the petitioner should be stopped from reopening his case.
Akoto Ampaw, who is counsel for President Akufo-Addo, pointed out that the leave the petitioner is seeking is against legal processes for proof of burden.
“This is an attempt to call for further evidence, and he must be held to the rule on the condition to be met in order to adduce further evidence,” he insisted.
The lawyer for the EC, Justin Amenuvor, also said the application being sought by Mr. Mahama should be denied because it is “an abuse of the court processes” since reopening of cases to subpoena a witness has never happened in a court.
But Mr. Mahama’s lawyer, Tsatsu Tsikata argued that he wanted to call Jean Mensa, the EC Chairperson, as an “adverse witness”.
He again stressed that not being granted the opportunity to have the EC Chair cross-examined will be an affront to the dispute at hand.
This morning’s ruling will provide clarity on the next directions of the court.
Meanwhile, the earlier directive for the parties to file their written addresses by Wednesday, February 17 remains effective.
Source: citinewsroom.com
